Maybole

Cassillis Road

Maybole is the ancient capital of Carrick. As Miniboll it has a recorded history going back to the
1100s. Today it lies astride the A77 en route south from
Ayr to
Stranraer and is home
amongst other things to an active campaign for a bypass to ease the impact of
through traffic on the narrow High Street.

Today's visitor finds a town whose lengthy history is evident from
the many fine buildings on view. Maybole High Street is especially striking,
running from the imposing Town Hall built in 1887 to the equally impressive and
much more unexpected Maybole Castle dominating a street corner in the town.

Maybole Castle is believed to be Maybole's oldest inhabited house,
dating back to around 1560. It served as the town house and winter residence of
the Earls of Cassillis and was originally built across the bottom of the High
Street, whose route has since slightly shifted. In many ways the castle
typifies the growth of Maybole. In 1686 it was recorded that the town was home
to the town houses of no fewer that 28 lords and landowners with estates in
Carrick and beyond.

Today a brass plate on the gateway to the castle garden shows it to
be the headquarters of May-Tag Ltd, a company founded in 1986 by the Community
Council to provide training and tackle local unemployment.

The third of Maybole's collection of truly remarkable buildings is
found along Cassillis Street a little north east from the town centre. This is
dominated by the Parish Church built in 1808 of a striking orange stone. But
what really sets the church apart is its very odd square spire comprising six
steps and looking as if it would feel entirely at home as part of an Aztec
temple.

The Ayr and Maybole railway arrived in the town in 1856, and today
it still provides an important service. As elsewhere, the railway brought
change to Maybole, though its impact here was less positive than in many
places. In Maybole the main effect was to confirm a growing trend that saw most
of the Carrick lairds and landowners move their town houses to the larger stage
of Ayr, leaving Maybole to take on a
more industrial feel.

Another strand of Maybole's history can be traced through its
strong links with the church. Two miles to the south are the remains of
Crossraguel Abbey, founded in the 1200s
and later a base from which much of
Ayrshire was governed on
behalf of the King. Maybole itself became home to a Collegiate Church, founded
in 1371.

One aspect of modern life in Maybole that really does help set it
apart is completely invisible to the visitor approaching on the A77. Many
places in Scotland now have community
Internet sites designed to serve the needs of the community and promote it
to the world at large. Many are good, and some are very good. Amongst the very
best is www.maybole.org This couples
exceptionally simple design with effective navigation and a huge depth and
variety of content about Maybole and about many of the surrounding villages. It
is well worth a visit.